Sephardic Selihot with Maran Hakham Ovadia Yosef - Including the Full Hebrew text with its English translation
סליחות מפי מרן הרב עובדיה יוסף ע״ה
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef - Selihot
The month of Elul, the month of Rahamim, is when we turn our hearts and thoughts to repentance in preparation for the Yamim Noraim, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Sepharadim start saying the Selihot (penitential prayers) daily, Early in the morning before Shaharit, from the beginning of Elul till Yom Kippur, because this is considered to be 'Et Rason (a time of goodwill). The Selihot are not recited on Rosh Hodesh, Shabbat or Rosh HaShanah.
On Rosh Hodesh Elul, Moshe Rabbenu, A”H, ascended Mt. Sinai for the second time to receive the second Luhot (Tablets of Stone). The receiving of the second tablets was proof that G-d forgave the Jewish people their transgression in the matter of the Golden Calf. During the forty days and nights on Mt. Sinai, Moshe Rabbenu, A”H, prayed to G-d to forgive the Jewish people. On Yom Kippur, Hashem announced to Moshe Rabbenu A”H, Salahti Kidbarekha (I have forgiven in accordance with your words), and gave him the second Luhot. From that time, these forty days have been established as days of favor, and the last of these days, the tenth of Tishri, which is Yom Kippur, was established as a day of forgiveness and pardon for the people of Israel.
